The Press., 1887-10-13
LIKE A FLOCK OF SHEEP.
THE TRICK BY WHICH A CROWD WERE GATHERED TOGETHER.

....' .
 Knot of Gazers at Show Window.
 ''Just for Fun''-Looking Intently Into a Sewer ridiculous sesults-Human
 Weakness. s.,@ .~<G
 . Queer it is that human beings, ike sheep, often bear out the saying of 'Fol- low the leader. '' This thought came to me few days since while watching test made by friend of mine. Happening to meet young man whom l had not seen . in a long while, stopped to greet him and indulge in @ short conversation. While we were talking man walked up to show window near by, and ill a mo- ment was joined by several others. In Q short time the entire window was sur rounded by anxious gazers, and as there was nothing out of common on exhibition, both myself and my friend were amused at the action of the crowd - Turning to me my friend said: "It does seem odd that people can be attracted so easily, but I assure you that l can give you even better illustration than the one we have just witnessed. There is nothing at all the matter with the sewer inlet over at the corner, yet ii go over and look into it intently it will be only little while before. attract a crowd. Now, just for the fun of the thing I'm going
 
 stand here and watch the people" Ac- cordingly he walked over to the opposite corner, and standing in the street bent down and looked into the sewer. Scarcely had he fixed his gaze on the inside when 8 small boy who was passing stopped and looked around and then stepped out into the street and, also looked into the inlet. A street car stepped at the corner to let off several passengers, and two of them T 1k A<v <1D 1accR than one minute by actual count ten per sons were looking into the place, and in two minutes the crowd had increased to twenty-fiv people. In three minutes the crowd was doubled, and after five min utes' actual time the entire corner was crowded with 8 pushing mass of human ity, all eager to look down the sewer and . all asking questions.
 During this time my friend had not ut tered a word, but had continued to gaze steadily into the inlet as though he had dropped something down into its dark in- terior. Then I walked across the street ' to minglc with the crowd and catch any observations that might be made. A tall, sad looking man tapped me on the shOul- der and asked me what the trouble was all about. I.replied that I didn't know, but scarcely had I uttered the words when a short, fussy individual, who had just joined the crowd, kindly spoke up and informed my sad looking inquirer that there was child in the sewer. This information quickly spread and many ex- clamations of pity and sympathy were heard on all sides Then some one con tradicted the r1mor and saidAit was a val uable dog that had fallen Into the sewer. This was promptly denied by a heavily built man, in his shirt sleeves, who was sure he had heard the baby's voice, " but that it must be drowned by this time, because it was so quiet. Right here some one else took up the conversation and went on to describe how careless the mother of 8 child must be to allow it to get away from her and run the risk of meeting with such a horrible death. In the meantime a reserve officer made his appearance and asked the cause of all the trouble. Avery knowing young man took the policeman aside and explained to him that the crowd was all wrong Then he went on to tell the officer that the man at the sewer had been counting roll of bills and had accidentally dropped bill of large denomination into the sewer and was now looking down to see if he could get glimpse of it.
 @s You can readily imagine how ridiculous this all sounded to me, and what an eff fort it required on my part to keep from , laughing aloud. I managed to restrain myself, however, and worked my way out of the crowd and took up a position on the doorstep of 8 store near by. The crowd meanwhile had grown to an im- mense size, and several cars were blocked by the people standing in the street across the track. In vain the drivers tried to get the crowd to separate and allow the cars to pass, but, as is generally the case, the crowd only laughed at them, and some of tho houc fTioI fo CJi irO10 onto the dasher of the car to obtain a good view over the heads of the persons in front of them. Then came a regular stream of questions from the crowd, such as, "What's the matter?' "How did it happen9' "Who's hurt?'' What's lost?'' Somebody got a fitY' "How g did he get run over?'' "What is it, a man or q wOmanY' "Why don't the t crowd keep back and give him some air?'' ito which the following were some of the answers: Don't know" "Give it up," Can't get near to find out,'' q don't know, do you think I'm liction- ary?" and many other answers that I have now forgotten. The policeman did his best to disperse the crowd, or at least keep them back, but he was powerless. He threatened a few of them with arrest, but he didn't look very stern, so they risked his anger. Finding that he could make no impression upon them, he wisely withdrew and allowed them to use their own pleasure about going. He succeeded however, in clearing the car track, and the several cars that had been blocked were soon skimming up the street at 8 genuine rapid transit speed.
 My friend finally worked his way out of the crowd, and I, having attracted his att tention, he joined me, and we laughed to our hearts content. I imagined that after seeing nay friend withdraw the crowd would disperse, but nothing of the kind. The, place that he left was eagerly sought after by twenty people, and 8 dozen heads pressed forward to peer into the sewer. Some old fellow with an iron bar had succeeded in lifting back the heavy iron lid that fitted into the top of the in let, and he was lying fiat on the pave ment, face downward, anXiously scanning the. interior of the sewer. We stood aside for little while commenting on the. weakness of human nature, and presently withdrew into the inviting splendor of a neighboring restaurant, where we discussed the incl dent with much laughter over good din- ner. and bottle of - water. Strange as my article of today may seem it is. en- tirely true, and in every point the story is correct l stopped today, and, seeing the same reserve officer on duty at the corner, recalled the experience to him, and he recollected the occurrence with 8 smile. When I explained to him that the whole affair was a trick of my friend, he laughed heartily, and said he would repeat it at 1Nrrva Ny1,- l. :I-z